


Re-Routed

by shieldivarius



Series: Femslash Takeover 2014 [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: 2014 takeover, Canon Divergent, Captain America: The Winter Soldier Spoilers, Epistolary, F/F, Femslash, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-08
Updated: 2014-04-08
Packaged: 2018-01-18 16:59:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1435954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shieldivarius/pseuds/shieldivarius
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of Winter Soldier, Natasha disappears. Melinda looks for her.</p><p>Not intended to be compliant with the end of AoS season one. Assumes some semblance of happy ending. (Right.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Re-Routed

**Author's Note:**

> This story is set not-so-far after Captain America 2 and makes a lot of assumptions about the end of season one Agents of SHIELD. Lets call it canon divergent. 
> 
> Also most of the character quirks are in the timestamps. I thought long and hard about those timestamps.

SHIELD SECURE SERVER: MOBILE UNIT 616

616-10042013: We'll be in Newark sometime soon. Are you still in D.C.?  
248-10042013: Indefinitely. Might be able to make a day trip. Will let you know.

 

SHIELD SECURE SERVER: MOBILE UNIT 616

616-11042013: Newark next week.  
248-11042013: Shit. Think Stark'll send a jet for me?

 

2125555623: Going to have to miss our date. Headed to sea. _Received April 14, 2013 5:47PM_  
4435552794: Relieved. Would've had to cancel anyway. _Sent April 14, 2013 5:47PM_  
2125555623: That bad, huh? Radio silence from me. Talk to you soon. _Received April 14, 2013 5:50PM_

 

 _Who Is Natalia Alianovna Romanova?  
Part of our WHO IS/WAS SHIELD? series_ [April 27, 2013]

You'll recognize the red haired woman above as Natasha Romanoff aka the Black Widow. One of the Heroes of New York, who fought alongside Captain America (Steve Rogers) and Iron Man (Tony Stark) to stop alien invaders from making our planet their new home.

But who is Romanoff really?

Leaked, classified SHIELD documents tell us that she was born in Russia in 1984, under the name Natalia Alianovna Romanova, and that before her contentious recruitment by SHIELD, she was an agent of the KGB, actively working against the United States.

The timeline, at first glance, doesn't seem to match up. The KGB collapsed in 1991. Romanoff, not even 30 now, would have been 7 at the time. Documents make reference to Romanoff being trained in a program from a very young age--whether or not that program was run by the KGB is currently unclear. 

_Continued on page S3_

 

SHIELD SECURE SERVER: MOBILE UNIT 616

248-11042013: Shit. Think Stark'll send a jet for me?  
616-27042013: Natasha?

 

4435552794: Any chance you're still Stateside? _Sent April 28, 2013 11:32AM_  
2125555623: Your friend changed their number. Sorry, man. _Received April 28, 2013 1:49PM_

 

SHIELD SECURE SERVER: MOBILE UNIT 616

616-27042013: Natasha?  
616-30042013: Secure servers being shut down. Know you're not surprised. No one to pay for them anymore. If you're getting these, I'd welcome some contact.

 

2125557984: hey may u hear frm nat? _Received May 2, 2013 3:04AM_  
4435552794: Barton? _Sent May 2, 2013 6:45AM_  
2125557984: 1  & only _Received May 2, 2013 11:32PM_  
4435552794: Not since before D.C. _Sent May 2, 2013 11:34PM_  
2125557984: fuck wanted her 2 b w u. _Received May 2, 2013 11:36PM_  
4435552794: Likewise. Where are you? _Sent May 2, 2013 11:45PM_  
2125557984: nyc stark tower _Received May 2, 2013 11:50PM_  
2125557984: drop by _Received May 3, 2013 12:01AM_

 

 _The Rising Tide Blog: Not All of SHIELD was HYDRA, and You Should Stop Thinking That_  
Posted by Skye on May 10, 2013

For about four days, I was a SHIELD agent. Since all of that's been declassified now, I can say that. I was a level 1 SHIELD agent, and before that, I was in training and lived in a SHIELD mobile command unit with 5 agents. It was a big plane. We flew around and tried to stop bad things from happening. 

SHIELD's gone, but they weren't all bad.

When I started this blog, and the Rising Tide, I was pretty sure that SHIELD was all guys in dark sunglasses and suits, who wanted to experiment on people and whose number 1 motive was hiding things from the public. And hey, I wasn't wrong. But SHIELD had good people, too. Really good people who looked out for one another and wanted to protect the world. Those are the people that SHIELD--the real SHIELD--was. 

The rest of them were HYDRA. HYDRA who are definitely not a force for good and change in this world. A lot of really good people got hurt when SHIELD's true colors were revealed. A lot of really good people feel betrayed and lost by the only thing they knew, their family, the only thing they believed in. 

HYDRA infiltrated SHIELD. But not all of SHIELD was HYDRA. 

Remember that. Don't let history forget it.

After this message, the Rising Tide is going to go dark again, but everyone needs to know that it's by choice this time. Circulate this message with the leaked SHIELD documents. I know those black bars are scary. I know the stuff without black bars, where all the contents are open to the world, are even scarier. But the little Agents of SHIELD aren't the bad guys here. Big HYDRA was, and parts of big SHIELD.

Don't forget. 

 

 **Maria Hill hillmaria@starkindustries.com** to Melinda May maymelinda@starkindustries.com  
3:30PM May 14, 2013

Heard from Coulson lately?

 

 **Melinda May maymelinda@starkindustries.com** to Maria Hill hillmaria@starkindustries.com  
3:40PM May 14, 2013

Maria,

I haven't been in contact with Coulson since Mobile Unit 616 was decommissioned.

Melinda

 

 **Maria Hill hillmaria@starkindustries.com** to Melinda May maymelinda@starkindustries.com  
3:45PM May 14, 2013

Not at all?

 

 **Melinda May maymelinda@starkindustries.com** to Maria Hill hillmaria@starkindustries.com  
3:46PM May 14, 2013

No.

 

 **Tony Stark stark@starkindustries.com** to Melinda May maymelinda@starkindustries.com  
2:12AM May 16, 2013

Heard you've been looking for everyone's favorite femme fatale. Might have a lead. Check out this chat room. Pretend you're a 12-year-old boy. chat.gamezors.net. 

You owe me.

 

 **Melinda May maymelinda@starkindustries.com** to Tony Stark stark@starkindustries.com  
9:05AM May 16, 2013

Stark,

If this plays out, I'll repay you.

May

 

 **Tony Stark stark@starkindustries.com** to Melinda May maymelinda@starkindustries.com  
9:10AM May 16, 2013

"If." Please.

 

4435552794: Stark thinks he found Natasha. _Sent May 16, 2013 9:11AM_  
2125557984: he wuz lookin? _Received May 16, 2013 11:30AM_  
4435552794: I'm going to follow-up on his lead. I'll let you know. _Sent May 16, 2013 11:35AM_  
2125557984: don't get ur hopes up _Received May 16, 2013 11:42AM_  
2125557984: she doesn't want 2 b found _Received May 16, 2013 11:45AM_

 

 **Melinda May maymelinda@starkindustries.com** to Nathalie Raskoph nraskoph3@starkmail.com  
12:00PM May 16, 2013

Nat,

I've been trying to get in touch with you for almost a month. I wish you'd at least left me a note telling me you were okay, instead of letting me find out from Barton and Captain America of all people.

I'm working for Tony Stark. It seemed like a good career move, regardless of it being the only option other than private security (it still feels like private security). Hill's here too. Fury's gone, but you probably knew that.

I'm not mad at you. I understand why you left.

Please come home safe.

Mel

 

4435552794: I've tried Stark's lead twice. Nothing yet. _Sent May 18, 2013 6:39PM_  
2125557984: sorry mel _Received May 18, 2013 7:24PM_

 

20:34 ( Joined #gamezors as maitype )  
20:34 ( looozer1337 ) chillbill: nah you need to level up w the rifle b4 you can get that target  
20:35 ( chillbill ) looozer1337: i've tried it how high?  
20:36 gamezorszors has joined #gamezors  
20:36 chan serv has given +op to gamezorszors  
20:36 ( maitype ) ( whisper to gamezorszors ) need a lead  
20:37 ( gamezorszors ) ( whisper to you ) yeah? you been around for less than a week  
20:37 ( looozer1337 ) chillbill: like 60? it's endgame dude  
20:37 ( maitype ) ( whisper to gamezorszors ) long enough to watch  
20:38 ( gamezorszors ) ( whisper to you ) lead on what  
20:38 ( chillbill ) looozer1337: fuck i'm like 45  
20:38 noircrimsnr has joined #gamezors  
20:38 ( maitype ) ( whisper to gamezorszors ) her. noircrimsnr.  
20:38 ( maitype ) ( whisper to noircrimsnr ) thanks for telling me you're alive. you need help?  
20:39 ( gamezorszors ) ( whisper to you ) you can't afford it  
20:39 ---You have been booted by gamezorszors (reason: lol n00b)

 

 **Melinda May maymelinda@starkindustries.com** to Tony Stark stark@starkindustries.com  
9:30PM May 23, 2013

Stark,

You were right. What do I owe you?

May

 

 **Tony Stark stark@starkindustries.com** to Melinda May maymelinda@starkindustries.com  
9:45PM May 23, 2013

An apology for doubting me. And Coulson's private line.

 

 **Melinda May maymelinda@starkindustries.com** to Tony Stark stark@starkindustries.com  
9:47PM May 23, 2013

Tomorrow morning.

 

 **Natalie Rushman rushmannatalie@starkindustries.com** to Melinda May maymelinda@starkindustries.com  
4:17AM May 25, 2013

You need to stop trying to find me.

 

 **Melinda May maymelinda@starkindustries.com** to Tony Stark stark@starkindustries.com  
5:45AM May 25, 2013

Can you trace where an email was sent from on your server?

 

 **Tony Stark stark@starkindustries.com** to Melinda May maymelinda@starkindustries.com  
10:59AM May 25, 2013

Of course I can. That's why I have Jarvis. Who sent it, what time?

 

 **Melinda May maymelinda@starkindustries.com** to Tony Stark stark@starkindustries.com  
11:04AM May 25, 2013

 **FW: Natalie Rushman rushmannatalie@starkindustries.com** to Melinda May maymelinda@starkindustries.com  
4:17AM May 25, 2013

You need to stop trying to find me.

 

 **Tony Stark stark@starkindustries.com** to Melinda May maymelinda@starkindustries.com  
11:06AM May 25, 2013

That is NOT what her company email is for.

 

 **@DailyBugleComms** (Posted May 26, 2013 09:12) BREAKING: Iron Man in St. Petersburg. Possible alien attack. More to come.

 **@DailyBugleComms** (Posted May 26, 2013 10:15) Avengers on the ground in St. Petersburg. Story developing here: bit.ly/234nj_isa

 

 **Pepper Potts pottsvirginia@starkindustries.com** to Melinda May maymelinda@starkindustries.com and others.  
1:47PM May 30, 2013

Hello everyone,

We're going to be holding a short press conference at Avengers Tower in light of recent events in St. Petersburg. Please try, at all times, to draw attention away from any questions that might be asked about Natasha Romanoff's whereabouts. Lie, if you have to. If you have a bad poker face, don't say anything at all. Do the same for questions about Romanoff's history. In fact, don't say anything about her at all if you don't have to.

Otherwise, remember to keep to the party line--the Avengers are not operating under SHIELD or the World Security Council. They are definitely not operating under the direction of the US government. This was not an act of war, except maybe on the part of the antagonists.

The press conference is being held in front of Avengers Tower at 2:30 tomorrow afternoon. 

Pepper  
\--  
Virginia Potts  
CEO Stark Industries

 

4435552794: Why am I getting copied on emails to the Avengers? _Sent May 30, 2013 1:50PM_  
4435552794: Not that I'm not flattered. _Sent May 30, 2013 1:52PM_  
2125557984: what email? _Received May 30, 2013 1:55PM_  
2125557984: o. dunno. stark has a big mouth _Received May 30, 2013 2:15PM_

 

 _Where is the Black Widow?_  
[June 1, 2013]

The Avengers held a press conference yesterday, where they addressed the fallout of the attacks in St. Petersburg. Notably, Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow, was absent. 

As we covered back in April, Natasha Romanoff’s shady history makes her a questionable candidate for a member of a super-powered, prominent peace keeping team like the Avengers. An ex-KGB assassin, she certainly isn’t role model material.

Take a look at the images above. They’re blown up security camera stills from the battle in St. Petersburg. It’s a blurry image, but take a close look at the upper left hand corner of each one. There’s a burst of red that sources are suggesting is actually Natasha Romanoff’s hair.

This should be impossible, since Hawkeye (Clint Barton) stated outright during the conference yesterday that “[Romanoff] has been out of contact for a while. She’s okay.”

We’re meant to interpret ‘out of contact’ to mean that Romanoff wasn’t anywhere near the battle site in St. Petersburg. If sources are correct, though, and she was there, why would the Avengers be hiding it?

Could Romanoff have returned to her KGB roots?

 

_06062013 Message received from Jhansy3161HFIs@**********.***  
Secure encrypted server. Accept? Y / N_

_Would you like Stark Industries micro-JARVIS to decrypt file? Y/ N_

Melinda,

I’m sorry I haven’t been in contact. I won’t be back to the United States until I’m sure I’ve rebuilt enough to be safe there. We’re looking at a six-month timeframe at least.

I know the tabloids are all over me. I was in St. Petersburg, doing some work when the attack hit. I gave the guys some help and made them promise not to reveal it. It’s nice being out from under SHIELD for the lack of mission debriefs, at least. 

I’ve gotten all of your messages, including a warning that someone was looking for me from the Chan mod after he IP banned you, and the ones from the SHIELD server before it was shut down.

Talk to Stark once you’ve read this. I sent him a message asking him to set up a server for us to communicate on. Open channel emails are too risky.

I’m moving around a lot, I don’t know how much I’m going to be able to check in, but I’ll try.

Natasha

 

JARVIS SECURE SERVER: MAY AND ROMANOFF SITTING IN A TREE

MM-10062013: Still looking at six months?  
NR-10062013: At least. No reason we can’t talk though. LDR.  
MM-10062013: I’m angry with you.  
NR-10062013: I know. Would it help if I made Stark change the channel name?  
MM-10062013: I’ll think about it.

**Author's Note:**

> 2014 Femslash Takeover prompt for February: Love Letters. Kind of.
> 
> http://shieldivarius.tumblr.com


End file.
